Starmer speech jeopardised by Palestine protester as PM takes huge swipe at Corbyn

The finger-wagging protester was removed from the ACC
GB NEWS
Jack Walters

By Jack Walters


Published: 24/09/2024

- 15:09

Updated: 24/09/2024

- 18:04

Labour members applauded as the pro-Palestine protester was removed from the ACC in Liverpool

Sir Keir Starmer has brutally slapped down a pro-Palestine heckler by taking a huge swipe at his predecessor as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Speaking to delegates in Liverpool's ACC, the Prime Minister was keen to stress the Labour Party has completed changed compared to when Corbyn was at the helm.


However, today's protest comes as senior Labour MPs face yet more calls to suspend arms sales with Israel, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves also facing down a protester yesterday.

Despite disruption becoming all but expected, Starmer cooly laughed off the heckler's comments.

The finger-wagging protester was removed from the ACCThe finger-wagging protester was removed from the ACCGB NEWS

Responding to the finger-wagging heckler, the Prime Minister said: “This guy’s obviously got a pass for the 2019 conference. We’ve changed the party.”

Starmer, who served as Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Brexit Secretary and twice campaigned to make him Prime Minister, is now at odds with the disgraced former Labour leader on a number of major issues.

While serving as Leader of the Opposition, Starmer stripped his predecessor of the Labour whip after Corbyn claimed a report published by the Equalities & Human Rights Commission about Labour's handling of antisemitism was "dramatically overstated for political reasons".

Despite banishing Corbyn from the Labour Party, Starmer still finds himself locking horns with members on the left of the party.

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Starmer makes Corbyn jibe as pro-Palestine protester disrupts PM's speechStarmer makes Corbyn jibe as pro-Palestine protester disrupts PM's speechGB NEWS

Labour suspended a cabal of Corbynista MPs for supporting an SNP amendment to force Starmer to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

Former Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, who is a close ally of Corbyn, also took aim at the Prime Minister by accusing him of treating her as a "non-person".

Despite seeing off today's heckler, pro-Palestine protesters have continued to disrupt the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

Two Youth Demand activists were arrested this morning after spraying "genocide conference" on the ACC's entrance for delegates and attendees.

Starmer's response to his lone protester today also appeared to echo Reeves' comments yesterday.

Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer

Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer

PA

After being confronted about selling arms to Israel, the Chancellor said: "This is a changed Labour Party, a party that represents working people, not a party of protest."

Both responses will no doubt be considered as at least implicit digs at Corbyn.

During his speech to Labour members, Starmer also admitted making mistakes in No10 and spoke about his ambitions to roll-out a controversial pylon plan.

The Prime Minister separately appeared to make a blunder by mistakenly saying "sausages" when calling for the return of Israeli hostages.

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